Bristol City's Lisab Assaat Gifts Throw-In to Millwall in Championship Debut

Lisab Assaat, a defender who recently transferred from Maccabi Haifa, made his first appearance in the English Championship for Bristol City on August 15, 2026. During the match against Millwall, one of the league's strongest teams, Assaat drew attention in the 18th minute for a critical mistake involving a throw-in. After Millwall's throw-in was canceled due to taking too long under the new football rules introduced at the World Cup, Assaat immediately threw the ball back to Millwall, effectively gifting them possession. This error was noted by fans, with one social media account, Robin Nest, commenting that "Assaat will not be a friend of VAR." Despite this, Assaat started as a left center-back and earned praise earlier in the game for winning a corner from a good cross into the box. The incident highlights the challenges players face adapting to recent rule changes in football.